Sourced Market appoints Scott Macdonald as MD ahead of expansion push: Sourced Market, the hybrid deli and dining brand, has appointed Scott Macdonald as managing director as it looks to double in size during the next year. Macdonald was previously managing director of award-winning central London business Polpo and prior to that was managing director of Bill’s, where he managed its growth from fledgling business to national brand. He joined Bill’s when it had four sites and grew the business to 72 sites before his departure. Sourced Market said it had a “number of exciting opportunities” in the pipeline for 2019 that should see the business double in size over the next year. Chief executive Ben O’Brien said: “We are very excited Sourced Market is now at the size and stage that we can bring in someone of Scott’s calibre and experience to help the business move forwards with greater confidence and direction.” In December, Sourced Market completed a fund-raise on crowdfunding platform Crowdcube that saw it raise almost £900,000 for its fifth site. Sourced Market currently operates sites at St Pancras station, Barbican, Marylebone and Victoria. It has been negotiating on a fifth site, at Southbank Place, a new development of offices and apartments between Waterloo station and the London Eye. Sourced Market is backed by Pembroke VCT and had £6.4m net revenue last year. On average, more than 11,000 customers per week are served at its flagship St Pancras store. The company also raised £1m of investment through a Crowdcube bond in 2016.
Cafe De Pierre takes on Debenhams’ Patisserie Valerie concessions: Patisserie Valerie’s concessions within Debenhams stores are to be replaced by French patisserie/brasserie concept Cafe De Pierre. Operated by The Lux Management and Investment Group, which is behind the Caffe Concerto and The Grand Caffe concepts, the brand has already taken over concessions in the department stores in London’s Oxford Street, Westfield London, Wandsworth, Stevenage, Chelmsford, Telford and Liverpool. It will soon extend its offerings to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, Dublin and Cardiff. At the same time Lux has employed more than 150 Patisserie Valerie employees who were made redundant after the Birmingham-based company fell into administration earlier this year. The company said it plans to take on a further 200 staff in the coming months. A spokesman said: “This is a very exciting time for Lux Group. We have grown year-on-year and we’re happy Cafe De Pierre will provide a pleasant and enjoyable oasis, not only for shoppers at Debenhams but also lovers of quality French food and patisserie.”